Tuesday, December 30, 2014

48 years ago on this date of December 30th in the year 1966, the 16th episode of the new TV series, The Green Hornet, aired.

Posted this episode to mirror the airdate from 48 years ago. I wonder what was going through Bruce's mind as the New Year approached as well as Brandon's upcoming 2nd birthday?

Enjoy!

Green Hornet Episode 16 -

The Hornet and the Firefly (30 Dec 1966)

An arsonist wreaks havoc setting fire to buildings at the stroke of midnight. The Green Hornet and the District Attorney work behind the scenes to aid the Commissioner to put a stop to this hot situation. The commissioner refuses to enlist the aid of a retired top arson investigator because his work previously cost him an eye, but reporter Mike Axford suggests to Britt Reid that the Sentinel can put him to work. Unfortunately, Mike is in for a very big surprise.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

To be a master is very different from being an expert.
Experts know things….

Masters have self-knowledge and understand what is necessary and have constructed a framework from which to evolve and test principles. Those principles can include physical attributes but must not be based on them, for attributes fade.

By enacting mastery, you have now trimmed down your plan to only the most useful and successful concepts.

All other techniques or skills that did not hold up or are of low percentage are left behind

One must tailored plans to the exact situation, leave behind the tendency to ‘cling’ to a plan.

With understanding of strengths, weaknesses, and limitations and expectations, preparations are ramped up to meet the need.

Mastery now becomes a living, breathing, growing entity. It must be fed, played with, nurtured, and grown. New concepts need to be added and tested. Mastery should never become stagnant.

Mastery will continue to evolve due to the fact that our situation will continue to change. As we begin to age our strengths, weaknesses, and limitations will change. Our strategy and tactics will have to adapt to these situations. These changes will be constant and adjustments will need to be continually made.

One way is to underestimate your own capabilities and over-estimate those of the opponent. The opponent might be a person, a thing, a situation or something internal.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Dwight C. McLemore wrote 2 books on the Bowie Knife as well as instruction in a video:

1) Bowie and Big-Knife Fighting System

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2) Advanced Bowie Knife: The Finer Points of Fighting with a Large Knife

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3) Bowie Knife, Big Knife Dueling video

He posted some thoughts on the Bowie Knife on his Facebook in hopes of clearing the air surrounding the mystique and misinformation on the Bowie as well as on the man himself.

For some reason every year about this time I get a lot of messages asking questions about Jim Bowie, The Bowie Knife, the sandbar fight etc. Guys, while I am honored to be asked I,m not the fountainhead of knowledge on this subject. In spite of what you may hear, or see on the forms there are no specific Bowie Knife Techniques! 19th century articles by fencing masters, and newspaper articles are just really an opinion and reflective of the period. Take them for what they are worth. All that said before I hurt someone,s feelings below you will see what I consider to be the most accurate reputable books on the subject. Go find them, go read them! All the answers are there. I, ll describe these in subsequent posts.

Photo credit: Dwight McLemore's Facebook

This book covers the historical life of Davy Crockett, William B. Travis, & James Bowie. It goes along way to reveal the truth about Bowie the person and debunk the myths about his life. You can read it in total chapter by chapter or pick out the chapters on the person you are interested in. Really worth the time if you want to know about Bowie,s personality.....

Photo credit: Dwight McLemore's Facebook

This book is all about Bowie Knife myths, types & designs, and the folklore associated with what we call the Bowie Knife. It busts a lot of people,s bubbles about Jim Bowie the Mythical knife duelists. Expense, coffee table size book that is well worth having.

Photo credit: Dwight McLemore's Facebook

This is fellow artist Paul Kirchner latest contribution on the subject and present an accurate picture of many bowie knife fights & techniques from the 19th century.

Photo credit: Dwight McLemore's Facebook

This is the best account of the historical sandbar fight that began Bowie, s reputation and contributed so much to the myths & folklore.

Photo credit: Dwight McLemore's Facebook

Photo credit: Dwight McLemore's Facebook

Two examples : The Iron Mistress is fiction and purely a tall tale that influences people,s idea about the heroic Jim Bowie, his excaluber like knife, and numerous duels. Great fun read but folklore pure and simple. Raymond Thorpe,s Bowie Knife, is based on 19th century newspapers and is a good example of how we can easily be influenced by folklore.....Lord Knows I used to believe this stuff. Well I,m done! Go read thus stuff.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Posting this 1982 movie, The Challenge in memory of Toshiro Mifune. He passed away on this date of Dec 24, 1997 - 17 years ago.

Enjoy!

The Challenge (1982)

Rick, a down-and-out American boxer, is hired to transport a sword to Japan, unaware that the whole thing is a set up in a bitter blood-feud between two brothers, one who follows the traditional path of the samurai and the other a businessman. At the behest of the businessman, Rick undertakes samurai training from the other brother, but joins his cause. He also becomes romantically involved with the samurai's daughter.

17 years ago on this date of Dec 24, 1997, one of Japan's greatest actors passed away.

This post is in memory of 三船 敏郎, Mifune Toshirō. You may remember him from a slew of Akira Kurosawa films especially his role in The Seven Samurai or in Yojimbo. I'm posting a video I found on YouTube. Hope you watch in Toshiro Mifune's memory (as well as Katsu Shintaro's memory)!

Enjoy!

Please click for larger resolutionImage credit: IMDB

Please click for larger resolution

Zatoichi 20 - Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970)

Zatoichi tries to unrest the mob rule over a small village all while the
gang leader's bodyguard is actually the Yojimbo, secretly taking the
gang down from the inside. Will the two heroes realize in time that they
are on the same side?

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

No! Not Sylvester Stallone's Barney Ross character from The Expendables movies, but one of Boxing's Greats! Yes! THAT Barney Ross (72W-4L-3D)!!

Barney Ross ... World Champion in 3 different weight divisions, THAT Barney Ross.

Barney Ross ... the GREATEST Jewish boxer of all time, THAT Barney Ross!

My friend, Douglas Century, the biographer of Barney Ross posted to his Facebook on Ross' birthday tonight. With his kind permission, I am archiving to my site. An aside, regular readers of my site should recall that Douglas Century is the same author of Street Kingdom, the book that had some info on 52 Blocks!

I recently was reminded that I wanted to buy a copy of the Barney Ross biography and last week, I was able to find it in a used bookstore. I intended to look up his birthday when I had time to read it and perhaps post a review of the book on Ross' birthday. It was as my friend Douglas says, "... in Yiddish "bashert" - means "meant to be..." - it was bashert as I sat down to dinner tonight and checked in on Facebook and saw Douglas' posting!

Happy birthday, Barney Ross. Born December 23, 1909 as Dov-Ber Rasovsky in New York City, Ross ranks as one of the greatest lightweight and welterweight champions in history. Honored to have been able to tell the story of this remarkable American life

...

Great chin, footwork, superlative boxing skill, ring generalship, and a sweetheart of a guy, from what his family members tell me. And he proved himself in those wars with Jimmy McLarnin and Tony Canzoneri.

48 years ago on this date of December 23rd in the year 1966, the 15th episode of the new TV series, The Green Hornet, aired.

Posted this episode to mirror the airdate from 48 years ago. I wonder what was going through Bruce's mind as it was Christmas Eve the next day after this 15th episode aired? Wonder how 1966's Christmas fared for the Lees with Brandon as a toddler?

Enjoy!

Green Hornet episode 15 - May the Best Man Lose (23 Dec 1966)

While running for re-election, District Attorney Frank Scanlon narrowly escapes a car explosion. Rumor spreads that the attack was the work of Calvin Ryland, his electoral opponent. But it is his brother, Warren Ryland, who so desperately wants Scanlon out of office. The Green Hornet manages to track Warren down and, on his usual pretense of being a shady crook, offers to help his brother by pulling a crime wave to make Scanlon look bad. But Warren has an even surer plan to guarantee Calvin's election. If successful, it may cost the Green Hornet his life.

Tan Tao Liang was born in Pusan, Korea on this date of Dec 22 in 1947. He has an amazing agility in his kicks. Tan, more known for his flashy kicks than, say, Hwang Jang-Lee's powerful kicks, he was nicknamed "Flash Legs". He won many Tae Kwon Do (TKD) tournaments in his teens and early 20's and was a World Champion.

Tan is one of the best kickers in the 1970's/80's Hong Kong films along with Hwang Jang-Lee, John Liu, and Casanova Wong. He started teaching TKD in Monterey Park, California in 1987, but is now living in Taiwan. His students still run his TKD School in California. He retired from films in 1985.

'Flash Legs' Tribute

Kung Fu Master Tribute

Earlier today, I posted 2 full movies of Tan Tao Liang that he is best known for:

Liu learned TKD from Master Tan when Liu attended the National Taiwan University. Liu goes on through Master Tan's rigorous training to join Tan as one of the superkickers of the 1970's/80's.

John Liu known for his Leg Holding SkillsFrom Secret Rivals II(Please click picture for larger resolution)

4) Jonathan Ke Quan

Quan, better known as 'Short Round' and 'Data' from "The Goonies", studied Taekwondo under Philip Tan on the set of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Quan would go on to further his TKD training under Master Tan.

Jonathan Ke Quan as "Short Round", 1984, 12 years old

Quan in 2013, 42 years old

WOW! Look at Short Round all grown up!

5) Yuen Biao

In 1976, John Woo directed a young Yuen Biao (as well as Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung) along with Master Tan in "Hand of Death". During the filming, Tan taught Yuen Biao TKD.

In his honor, I am posting my favorite movie of his, The Leg Fighters aka The Invincible Kung Fu Legs.

Enjoy!

Click for super high res picture

The Leg Fighters (1980)

aka The Invincible Kung Fu Legs

Phoenix (Ha Kwong-Li) is the prodigal daughter of sorts with a chip on
her shoulder. She's asked to learn kung fu from kicking expert Mo
Ku-fung (Sun Jung-Chi), but despises his harsh training. She and Chin
Pan, her mischievous servant say good riddance when he leaves to attend
to his sick wife. Replacing him is another top kicker named Tan Hai-chi
(Tao-liang Tan) who resumes training. Phoenix transfers her disdain to
Tan and their relationship sours until she gets mixed up with two idiot
village bullies named Ding Dong and Dong Dong. Tan exploits the
situation in order to humble Phoenix, who in turn agrees to be a dutiful
student going forward. Focused leg training resumes until a vicious
master of the ground kick named Peng Fung (Peng Kong) comes looking to
avenge Tan's killing of his brother. Phoenix joins her new master in
fighting Peng in a battle of leg mastery.

Black Stone is a quiet sleepy town until a mysterious stranger arrives. Secretive of his business he soon arouses suspicion especially when his identity is revealed as the infamous, troublemaking 'Southern Fist' fighter Pai Yu Ching. Tan Tao Liang plays 'Northern Leg' Captain Lu, the towns 'sheriff' who finds himself in deep water when the mayor's son murders his (Capt Lu's) mother-in-law. Lu is steadfast in his resolve to catch the killer but has many obstacles put in his way, particularly Ms. Li (Suen Ga Lam); the sister of an ex-sheriff who Lu accidentally killed and wants revenge, and the mayor, who hires Pai Yu Ching to protect his house from any would-be lawmen that might try to arrest his son. The mayor has other reasons for keeping Lu at arms length as he is deeply involved in a counterfeiting ring. Pai Yu Ching is actually a secret government official, who in the beginning is often in staring contests with Capt Lu but eventually seeks Lu's help after his partner is killed by the hotels owner (who is secretly in cahoots with the Mayor). When matters get out of hand the mayor calls on his partner, the strange Mr Lung (Tommy Lee), for help. Mr Lung is a kind of golden haired, white faced gorilla-like creature that speaks in an echoed voice and walks with a limp. He is, however, extremely competent at mantis kung fu. Mr. Lung eventually helps the mayor capture Capt Lu and Pai Yu Ching after they find the seal that makes counterfeit money. Ms. Li puts aside her hatred for Capt Lu and rescues him a Pai and kills the mayor. Capt Lu and Pai Yu Ching then hunt down Mr. Lung for a final showdown.

Friday, December 19, 2014

I made 13 animated GIFs from the great gun-fu movie with the awesome Keanu Reeves in "John Wick".

This GIF set is made from the Bar Shootout Trailer found on YouTube and not the release Blu-Ray/DVD which is coming on Feb 3. Once I get my Blu-Ray copy, I may make a new GIF Set of the Bar Shootout (or not).

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

In the Champ's honor, posting another in my "The Wisdom of ..." series with extracted tips from his book, Iceman: My Fighting Life.

Liddell writes in his book:

I didn't just wake up one day and decide I could be a UFC champion. I worked toward it every day of my life, even before there was such a thing as the UFC. All I ever wanted to do was make a living fighting. It didn't have to be professionally. Before becoming a UFC fighter I was working in a dojo and as a bartender. I could have done those two things forever. And if I had written a book about that kind of life, except for the fights themselves, most of it wouldn't be all that different. Every chapter in this book features a lesson that helped me become who I am in and out of the cage, from the time I learned to box when I was three years old to the days both of my kids were born to the night that Rampage knocked me on my butt. You may finish this book and not remember one detail of my life—although I’m sure you’ll be telling your friends some stories. But at the least, if you rip out the table of contents and carry it with you (after you buy the book), you’ll have the road map that helped me become the light heavyweight titleholder. And the lessons apply whether you’re studying for the SATs, sitting in a cubicle hating your boss, or training to be a UFC fighter.

So here are the Table of Contents which are also the Life Lessons that helped The Iceman become Champion! If you would like to understand any or all of the Lessons, buy and read his book! Also, along with the TOC, there some other tidbits/tips which I've included.

Enjoy!

GET THE F**K UP

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER

KNOW YOUR STUFF

BE WILLING TO LEARN

WHY? ’CAUSE SCREW THEM.

DON’T ALWAYS FOLLOW MOM’S ADVICE

NO COWERING, NO SCOWLING, JUST STARING

PRACTICE WHAT YOU LOVE

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE ANYONE

BEING MENTALLY TOUGH IS NOT A SOMETIMES THING

SIZE DOESN'T MATTER

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

YOU’RE NEVER TOO TOUGH TO SHOW THE LADIES YOUR SENSITIVE SIDE

THE MORE YOU MOVE, THE MORE SOMEONE HAS TO TRY TO KEEP YOU STILL

APPRECIATE RISK

NEVER LET A LITTLE THING GET IN THE WAY OF MAKING A BIG THING HAPPEN

A FIGHT’S A FIGHT, NO MATTER WHERE IT IS

BE ABOUT BEING THE BEST

TURNS OUT MOJO DON’T PAY THE BILLS

IF YOU DON’T FIGHT, YOU DON’T TRULY KNOW IF YOU CAN WIN

ALTITUDE TRAINING IS BULL

REGULATION IS GOOD

WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANCE, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ANY STYLE

TO LEAVE NO DOUBT, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOCK A GUY OUT

LOYALTY IS EVERYTHING

FORGET PLANS AND EXPECTATIONS

LOSING AS A MAN IS BETTER THAN WINNING AS A COWARD

YOU CAN WORRY ABOUT LOSING, OR YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

IT NEVER PAYS TO MOUTH OFF

NEVER LET ’EM BREATHE

IT’S NOT ABOUT STRENGTH, IT’S ABOUT STRENGTH OVER A LONG TIME

WHEN YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A GOOD TIME, YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE IT

WHEN YOU'VE GOT A GUY DAZED, KNOCK HIM OUT

PATIENCE DOES PAY OFF

HAVING A GOOD CHIN COMES NATURALLY

YOU NEED TO BEAT SOMEONE OVER THE HEAD TO GET WHAT YOU WANT

WE’RE FIGHTERS. A LOT OF US HAVE ISSUES.

SOMEONE UP THERE HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR

IF A GUY SAYS HE’S READY, HE’S READY. WHO AM I TO SHOW MERCY?

A MOHAWK ENHANCES YOUR COMMERCIAL APPEAL

REVENGE IS PRETTY DARN SWEET

YOU CAN’T WAIT TO FINISH A GUY

SCREW IT. RETAKE IT.

IT’S A PRETTY GREAT LIFE WHEN YOU MAKE IT DOING WHAT YOU LOVE

NEVER CHOKE ANYONE OUT UNLESS YOU’RE GETTING PAID FOR IT

YOU HAVE TO STAY CHILL WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE BRIGHTEST

GET THE F**K BACK UP

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF WHEN YOU’RE ON YOUR BACK:
The best way to protect yourself from your back is to duck your head and hold your opponent. But the main thing is to be working to get up and be offensive on the bottom. That is your best defense. Because if a guy is trying to stop you from getting up, he is not hitting you or setting you up for submission. Always be moving from side to side and hip to hip.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF WHEN YOU’RE STANDING UP:

Elbows in, hands up, chin down.

MY THOUGHTS ON HOW TO THROW A KNOCKOUT PUNCH:

Knockout punches are about timing and accuracy as much as power. Knockouts happen from catching a guy in the right spot at the right time. But, if you do that and don’t have any strength behind your punch, you’re wasting an opportunity. It’s all hips and snap, a lot of practice and twisting. I've been working on it since I was twelve. Some say knockout punchers have it in their genes. I do think it’s a fast-twitch muscle thing, but you have to practice. It starts with a good stance. You need staggered feet so you can stop takedowns and kicks, too. You have to stand wider than a typical boxing stance, which gives up a little on the power, but if you are on your back and can’t throw punches, what’s the difference? Then twist your hips as much as you can; imagine if you didn't have a spine and were trying to twist all the way around. The arm means nothing; it can come from any angle. It’s all about the power you generate in your hips.

MY TYPICAL DAILY MEAL:

Cottage cheese and fruit for breakfast

Sandwich for a snack, turkey and cheese in a pita

Pasta with chicken and mixed vegetables for lunch

Protein/carbohydrate shake Chicken with rice and broccoli for dinner

HOW TO LOOK MENACING:

I never had to try
to do this. If I’m not smiling, everyone thinks I’m mad at them. But
it’s natural; If I look at someone serious, I look mad.

HOW TO BEHAVE LIKE A GROWN@SS MAN:

You've got to take care of yourself. I’ll look for my buddies when it’s time to go, give them fifteen or twenty minutes to come back to where we were hanging out or for me to find them. But that’s it. After that, you’re on your own. You’re a grown-ass man, okay? Get home by yourself. We’re not holding your hand.

CHOOSING A TATTOO THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU:

Make sure it means
something to you. I always thought it was silly that people walk in and
say I’ll take that right there and they are pointing to a little thing
in a book. I’m not trying to stop people from making a living, but it
should be something that means something to you. Put it wherever you
want, but make it matter.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

48 years ago on this date of December 16th in the year 1966, the 14th episode of the new TV series, The Green Hornet, aired.

Posted this episode to mirror the airdate from 48 years ago.

Enjoy!

Green Hornet episode 14 - Freeway To Death (16 Dec 1966)

While investigating a construction company insurance racket, Daily Sentinel reporter Mike Axford comes under attack from a bulldozer. He is rescued by the Green Hornet (who, unknown to him, is actually his boss Britt Reid). In an unusual turn of events, Axford agrees to work with the Hornet in discovering who is behind the racket. The two try to bluff their way into meeting with the organization's head. But when Mike alone is contacted about the time and location of the meeting, he decides to head off by himself to wrap up the story. Britt Reid suspects Axford may be ...

I was skeptical about it. But when I learned ‘concealed energy’, and the unification of hard and soft, my movements became lively and swift and then I understood the truth of it.

When I got together with fellow trainees, we shared our personal experiences and results. But as I progressed to understanding the next level of ‘mysterious energy’, although I remained willing to talk about it with classmates, I didn’t want to share my experiences with outsiders. But now I want to write my personal experience for people who have started on the same path in the hope that we can all improve together.

As I began the progression to ‘mysterious energy’, after practicing formal sequence (of Xing Yi Quan) I would finish with upright standing, trying to to unify my spirit and energy. And every time I did that, I'd feel some slight subtle movement in my perineal area. At first it was barely perceptible. When doing my quiet standing after each day’s practice, I’d sometimes feel it and sometimes not. But over time, the movement became stronger and more frequent, until it got to the point that as soon as I returned to standing at conclusion of any formal drill, all I had to do was concentrate for a moment, and I would feel a vectored energy discharge. I realized that this was the spontaneous energetic movement of the true yang-power, which is described in classical works on Taoist static meditation.

The ancient Taoist meditation masters thoroughly understood this process, which they referred to as movement arising from the stillness of their seated practice disciplines. What I was doing was the inverse of that - I had been creating stillness (the upright standing) subsequent to the movements of my prior boxing practice. It’s hard to understand. This state is also described in the ancient boxing classics with the phrase “omnipresence without movement”.

Anyway I persisted relentlessly in my daily practice. Finally I reached the point that immediately on assuming the upright standing posture, my entire body entered a state of absolute emptiness, within which the true yang power resonated and flowed. This condition has been characterized by Taoist Master Liu Hua Yang as re-experiencing one’s original nature. In this state, if I moved even slightly the real yang resonance would immediately discharge. I realized I could use the boxing method itself to transform this raw potential.

I used my mind to sink my insubstantial spirit, filling my dan-tian. At the same time I used the insubstantial spirit to slightly elevate the perineal area energy accumulation (cf. Translator Note 1), which resulted in full coordination of inner and outer activity. Thereafter, when I merely directed my mind briefly to my dan-tian, even for just a moment, the real yang resonance would immediately concentrate itself and rise up into that area. At that time my body would experience a sensation of absolute ease. At that time I hadn’t yet heard of the doctrine of TAO (cf. Translator Note 2), but anyway I felt as though two powerful forces were interacting within my dan-tian. After standing in this state for up to four or five hours, I would gradually come back to my normal self. I believe that this immobile state was the result of my gradual accumulation, through the formal boxing practice, of two kinds of breath that were retained in my dan-tian after that practice finished. These internally retained breath elements were entirely different from the breathing of daily life. I had not intentionally created or retained these internal breath elements, but after a practice session I would have persistent experience of them. Zhuangzi wrote that the superior man breathes from his feet, and my experience was consistent with this basic idea.

I was then able to use these elements of internal breath to smooth and refine the movement of the real yang resonance so that it uniformly suffused my entire body. Thus I continued as I have already written, with the process of raising the resonance up to my dan-tian, and every time I practiced a boxing sequence my inner and outer movements were absolutely coordinated into one. I would practice gently and slowly, always careful to maintain my balance. When I practiced the formal sequences, I would take care to keep my limbs relaxed, my movements soft and harmonious, maintaining that feeling of emptiness. Over time, my dynamic boxing practice came to generate exactly the same state as the static work I described above. Sometimes I would stand after performing only one sequence, sometimes after two, and then begin moving again. No matter what, I would always elevate the internal yang resonance to my dan-tian, and leverage the internal breath elements generated by the boxing practice as feedstock for the internal flow. The flow begins at the coccyx (Cf. Translator Note) and rises through the vertebral points (Cf. Translator Note 4), then to the upper gate/Jade Pillow (Cf. Translator Note 5), then to the crown of the head, before lowering down the front, exactly as taught in seated meditation methods, back to the dan-tian.

Sometimes the flow would circulate two or three times before settling into the uniform state of full-body permeation, while at other times it would make three or four orbits before suffusing into the uniform state. There seemed to be a correlation between the number of circulation orbits and the number of prior practice sets. But that was only in the beginning. Later, even without any prior practice at all, whenever I would merely sit down, or take any action at all, I could use the internal breath elements to achieve the same preliminary circulation. Finally I could achieve it even while asleep. I’d be sleeping soundly when the internal yang resonance would suddenly activate itself, immediately awakening me.

Again I was able to use the breath elements derived from the boxing practice to transform this into the uniform state of energetic suffusion. Finally the yang resonance no longer spontaneously activated itself during my sleep, and my entire body inside and out, as well as all four limbs, would suddenly transform from the state of full suffusion to the ultimate state of complete emptiness. I experienced this as a kind of shower of complete bliss. I could apply this internal breath to achieve this ultimate state even while dreaming. When I awakened I would realize that I had experienced that while dreaming. Later I experienced a final abbreviation of this process so that as soon as I fell into deep sleep, I would enter the state of ultimate emptiness. In daily waking life, while walking or sitting, my limbs would suddenly feel absolutely light or empty, and my body would enter a state of absolute comfort. After each evening’s practice of the boxing sequences, when I went to sleep each night, I would almost always experience this transform to ultimate emptiness.

But if I went to sleep without practicing, I would be less likely to experience the shift. Finally I understood that the internal practice as described here strengthened my internal state to the point of warding of any illness of body, mind, or spirit. I also realized that the process I had gone through in my boxing practice was identical to that taught in classical Taoist meditation, thus these two arts have exactly the same theoretical basis. What I’ve written about here, above, is my own personal experience of internal and external transformation. I’ve laid it out openly for the benefit of all fellow practitioners.

Translator Notes:

For quibblers - I am full aware that perineal, thus this can be alternately translated as ‘anus’ but ‘perineal’ is more faithful to the felt nature of the actual experience

Citation missing from original text

Wei Lu Guan

Jia Ji Guan

Yu Zhen Guan

Translator Commentary:(from Scott Meredith)

This important piece is written in semi-classical Chinese, the difficult hybrid style of writing that came into being in the interim between the lingering attachment to the ancient imperial exam system based on millennia-old seminal works of Chinese civilization and the early 20th century efforts to modernize and standardize the written and spoken language, often heavily influenced by Western grammarians. This piece leans more toward the really hard-core ancient style. Thus if you run this through Google translate, the result is total garbage and gibberish. I have done my best to render the most complete, thorough, and accurate translation. But this piece talks about things far beyond most people’s experience and uses terms that philosophers and linguists have debated for centuries. There is simply no way to avoid endless quibbbles about whether I’ve translated this or that phrase, every mysterious word, accurately. Best then to avoid tedious legalism. The process Master Sun describes is something I have personally undergone in almost every detail. Take it as a finger pointing to the moon - once you see the moon, forget about the finger. Focus on the moon. And as always, if you don’t like how I’ve done it, do it yourself.

NOTE: On this date, 81 yrs ago, Dec 16, 1933, Sun Lu-tang passed away at the age of 72 years. Posted this essay in his memory.

Just got the hard copy proof of my book in the mail. This might really be happening ..

*****************************************

Hitting the 'red button' to publish tomorrow - All the usual channels, Smashwords, Kindle, Amazon. Video drills set to accompany book are not available yet, but will be available shortly. Still organizing and working out how best to offer the download - There are I believe 68 drills in the book, and we made about 40 videos to work in concert with them so it's quite a bit of work ...

Please check back here for updated links for book/ebook purchases or search Smashwords, Kindle, and Amazon for them.

Site Under Construction

Slowly but surely I've implemented changes to the site's look and functionality. I'm sure you have noticed the changes.Ecstatic that I've finally been able to successfully update my site closer more in line with my vision of it.

Not sure if it will be the final look of the site or not, but the Sojourn of Septillion Steps with respect to the site's look has already taken quite a few steps beyond the first!

I will still be endeavoring to put up information I think will benefit your martial arts training as well as your self-defense. I sincerely thank you for visiting/reading!